iNM Magazine Volume 7 | August 2015
Music and Sports
decision and to move on once you have. It's not about
looking for adversity or for opportunities to prove
power; it's about having control and being authoritative
when issues do arise.
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Match the Message to the Moment & handle
criticism: No one likes to be criticized. Few people
get b ett er w ith critici sm ; mo st re sp ond to
encouragement instead . So he tried to give
encouragement when he could. Generally, his
pregame talks were about our expectations, the
players' belief in themselves, and their trust in one
another. He liked to refer to a working-class principle
and found it useful to remind players how far they've
come. He'd tell them that having a work ethic is very
important. It seemed to enhance their pride. In
halftime talks, he can talk about concentrating, not
getting complacent, and the small things one can
address. In the training sessions, they tried to build a
football team with superb athletes who were smart
tactically. Display of anger doesn't work all the time;
you have to pick your moments. As a manager, you
play different roles at different times. Sometimes you
have to be a doctor, or a teacher, or a father.
Don't ever cease to adapt: One of the things he
has done well over the years is managing change. He
believed that we can control change by accepting it.
at also means having confidence in the people we
hire. e minute staff members are employed, we have
to trust that they are doing their jobs. If we
micromanage and tell people what to do, there is no
point in hiring them. e most important thing is to
not stagnate. Most people with his kind of track record
don't look to change. But he always felt that he couldn't
afford not to change. ey had to be successful—there
was no other option for him—and he would explore
any means of improving. He continued to work hard.
He treated every success as his first. e hunger of
doing his job well is what drove him.
“At United, we strive for perfection. And if
we fail, then we might just have to settle
for excellence”
- Sir Matt Busby
Observation is always critical to management. e ability
to see things is the key—or, more specifically, the ability to
see things you don't expect to see. e management skills
Sir Alex has portrayed over these years is a yardstick in
itself in the world of football
Prepare to Win: Winning has always been in his
nature. He set his standards over such a long period of
time that there was no other option for him—he had to
win. Once they stepped onto the pitch before a game,
he was confident that the players were prepared and
ready to play, because everything had been done
before they walked out onto the pitch. As a manager,
he was a gambler—a risk taker—and you can see that
in how they played in the late stages of matches. Being
positive and adventurous —that was their style. ey
were there to win. e supporters understood that,
and they got behind it. So he didn't really need to worry
about getting that message across.
Sir Matt Busby once said, “At United, we strive for
perfection. And if we fail, then we might just have to
settle for excellence”.
All said and done, we know that management is all
about doing things right and leadership is about doing
the right things.
Count on the Power of Observation:
O bser vation h a s b e en th e fin al p ar t of hi s
management structure. When he started as a coach,
he relied on several basics: play the game well,
understand the technical skills needed to succeed at
the highest level, coach players, and have the ability to
make decisions. But after delegating the training to
the assistant, he still was in control. His presence and
ability to supervise were always there, and what you
can pick up by watching is incredibly valuable. He
came to see observation as a critical part of his
management skills. e ability to see things is key—or,
more specifically, the ability to see things you don't
expect to see.
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